The Pentagon's mandatory anthrax vaccine policy - Stars and Stripes

[Guest guest]

Q & A: The Pentagon's mandatory anthrax vaccine policy

Stars and Stripes

Mideast edition, Sunday, October 29, 2006

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104 & article=41112

Q: Have any servicemembers contracted anthrax or died from the disease?

A: We do not know of any servicemembers that have contracted anthrax or died

from the disease.

Q: Then why vaccinate troops and DOD civilians against anthrax?

A: DOD immunizes servicemembers to protect against a biologic threat agents.

Intelligence experts have determined that anthrax poses a clear and present

danger to operational forces. The anthrax attacks through the U.S. Postal

Service provide evidence that the threat is real, and in those exposed, is

potentially deadly. Immunization represents the most effective

round-the-clock protection for our troops.

Q: What are the side effects of the anthrax vaccine?

A: Like all vaccines, anthrax vaccine can cause soreness, redness, itching,

swelling, and lumps at the injection site. Beyond the injection site, some

will notice rashes (an average of 16 percent), headaches (14 percent to 25

percent), joint aches (12 percent to 15 percent), malaise (6 percent to 17

percent), muscle aches (3 percent to 34 percent), nausea (3 percent to 9

percent), chills (2 percent to 6 percent), fever (1 percent to 5 percent).

These symptoms usually go away after a few days. The rates of these

reactions are similar to those experienced by recipients of other common

vaccines.

Q: Is the anthrax vaccine regimen discontinued for troops who develop

symptoms of the disease or who have an adverse reaction?

A: The anthrax vaccine does not contain bacillus anthracis bacteria, and

does not cause anthrax. Immunity from natural anthrax infection is lifelong.

Vaccine-associated adverse reactions are managed through the military health

system and medical exemptions are granted by the servicemember's primary

healthcare provider (or specialist consultant) consistent with good medical

practice.

Q: How can DOD require emergency-essential civilians and contractors to be

vaccinated?

A: DOD has authority to establish appropriate requirements necessary for the

successful performance of duties. In the case of emergency-essential

employees and comparable contractors, they agree to comply with agency

requirements that are generally comparable to those applicable to military

personnel.

Q: What legal ramifications do troops and DOD civilians who refuse to take

the vaccine face?

A: Any failure to obey a lawful order may result in administrative or

disciplinary action. There is no specification provided by law for the

particular punishment that might be imposed in any case of failure to obey a

lawful order. Authority is vested in the command structure and under the

Uniform Code of Military Justice to determine the appropriate action, with

protections for the due process rights of the member.

Q: Are the services preparing to prosecute troops and DOD civilians who

refuse to be vaccinated?

A: There are no special preparations planned or needed. DOD experience with

mandatory anthrax and smallpox vaccination programs, as well as all other

mandatory vaccinations, is that there is overwhelming compliance and a very

tiny degree of noncompliance.

Q: Why is it important to complete the vaccine regimen for troops who have

already rotated out of theater if they might not go back to an area that

requires anthrax vaccinations?

A: It is important because properly completing the vaccine regimen is good

medical practice - following the full FDA-approved dose schedule. By

continuing the vaccinations, even when they leave the high threat area,

allows them to become fully protected and provides the U.S. Armed Forces

with a more medically ready force.

Q: Are troops only fully protected after the sixth dose at 18 months?

A: Each dose is like walking up a set of stairs toward full protection. Most

people begin to make antibodies with the first dose of anthrax vaccine. The

goal is to climb the whole staircase, which is six doses for anthrax

vaccine. The licensed anthrax vaccine recommends a six-dose regimen to be

administered over an 18-month schedule. Yearly boosters are administered

thereafter to maintain immunity.

Q: Do you have a chart showing how much protection each dose gives troops -

for example, does the third dose provide 50 percent protection?

A: We don't have a chart. The question of levels of protection provided by

each dose of the schedule is under active clinical investigation. However,

DOD must administer vaccines for force health protection consistent with the

product license (FDA-approved schedule). Any changes to the licensed

schedule would require FDA-approval of the manufacturer's supplement to the

original biologic license application (a regulatory requirement).

- Source: Defense health officials

Randi Airola

517-819-5926

http://nvic.org

http://military-biodefensevaccines.org

" Today Americans would be outraged if U. N. troops entered Los Angeles to

restore order; tomorrow they will be grateful! This is especially true if

they were told there was an outside threat from beyond, whether real or

promulgated, that threatened our very existence. It is then that all people

of the world will plead with world leaders to deliver them from this evil.

The one thing every man fears is the unknown. When presented with this

scenario, individual rights will be willingly relinquished for the guarantee

of their well being granted to them by their world government. "

~ Henry Kissinger

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety

deserve neither liberty nor safety - lin